Is anyone worried about getting barbed by a stingray at stingray city Grand Caymen

[back2tampa]

After hearing about Steve Erwin loosing his life to a stingrays barb in the chest, i am having second thoughts about going to stingray city in Grand Cayman.Is any one else having secound thoughts???I will have my 9 year old with me and my wife,''my 9 year old has allready said she might stay on the boat.I think we will still go,just need to hear some input from some people to make it a sure thing.......We live on Panama City Beach, and see them all the time and i have cought them while fishing,but never have been stung,but know people that have.(all lived & said it hurts like----)Anyway please let me know ---and we will miss you Steve Erwin.....

[Wennfred]

After hearing about Steve Erwin loosing his life to a stingrays barb in the chest, i am having second thoughts about going to stingray city in Grand Cayman.Is any one else having secound thoughts???I will have my 9 year old with me and my wife,''my 9 year old has allready said she might stay on the boat.I think we will still go,just need to hear some input from some people to make it a sure thing.......We live on Panama City Beach, and see them all the time and i have cought them while fishing,but never have been stung,but know people that have.(all lived & said it hurts like----)Anyway please let me know ---and we will miss you Steve Erwin.....

 

Sad lost, but we took the trip this past March and had a great time, The tour guides would put them on our back and over our chest to take pictures, he would also hold the tail, I guess just to make sure. Might be a different kind of Sting Ray thats more aggressive that got Steve Erwin.

 

 

 

 

Fred

[KruznKel]

After hearing about Steve Erwin loosing his life to a stingrays barb in the chest, i am having second thoughts about going to stingray city in Grand Cayman.Is any one else having secound thoughts???I will have my 9 year old with me and my wife,''my 9 year old has allready said she might stay on the boat.I think we will still go,just need to hear some input from some people to make it a sure thing.......We live on Panama City Beach, and see them all the time and i have cought them while fishing,but never have been stung,but know people that have.(all lived & said it hurts like----)Anyway please let me know ---and we will miss you Steve Erwin.....

 

Freak accident I say.. how would a ray know where to hit.. it doesn't.. it was his job he loved it.. and died doing it:) smiles yes because he was doing what he loved to do..

 

Not doing the ray tour has never crossed my mind.. that is the same as if I was going to Florida and wanted to swim in the ocean.. but there are this many skark attacks... or this many jellyfish or this or that.. it was a freak accident.. JMHO

[suziescruzin]

Steve Irwin was my 22 year old sons absolute favorite hero and it is a tragic loss to the Discovery channel and Animal planet but even having said that I won't let it stop me from doing something I would love to do.

 

Just like I wouldn't let unexpected tragic accidents on boats stop me from wakeboarding or snowmobiling accidents stop me from riding in the winter. It was a freak accident that happened and the chances of that happening again are slim.

[CruiseToBooze]

i would definitely still go. i went to string ray city and loved it. those stingrays are definitely safe. the one that killed irwin is wild and no where near the area you are going to.

[GoinCruisin]

Check the Cayman boards for more of the same thoughts...

 

No, I wouldn't think twice about doing it again... different situation. Considering the VERY SMALL number of people killed by stingrays all around the world through history (less than 30 documented cases I believe)... not a chance I would not go... just like I will fly, drive, and do everything else that people have died doing.

[Yazoo cruiser]

are very docile and friendly when you play with them. Very scary when you first get in the water and they swim between your legs, but after the first couple of minutes it is a amazing tour. I read somewhere that there have been only 14 recorded deaths from stingrays in over 100 years. So I would definitely do it again.

[caribbean dreams]

I would swim with the rays over and over again, there is nothing to be afraid of, these rays are people friendly, i would also swim with the nurse sharks again, also people friendly. you have a better chance of being hurt or killed stepping off a curb then getting stung and the odds are even more astronomical of being killed by one.

 

My Heart and prayers goes out to the Irwin family.

[Wennfred]

It was just Steve Irwins time to go, God probably had a problem with a few Crocs up there in heaven and needed the best to help out.

 

Fred

[jayscore]

We went to Sea World last may, and I got there early enough to feed the stingrays in their tank.( They ignore you once they're full) I found it quite interesting, allthough my wife would only watch. I don't think you have to worry about it, in fact I'm looking forward to Stingray City next May, even if the critters give my wife the creeps!:o

[LHP]

When you think about the large number of people who enjoy this interaction with the sting rays every day without an incident or problem, I think that puts it in perspective. These sting rays are used to people being around.

 

And while they are still wild (and anything can happen), I would think it is a lot less likely due to the fact that they are not an aggressive creature to begin with and these sting rays are used to tourists feeding them.

[Karried]

I would do it again. We just went in August. Like others have said, it was a freak accident.

 

It is a true shame about Steve Irwin but it's also sad that now the stingrays are being shown in such a negative light.. now people will fear these beautiful creatures and possibly hunt and kill them. Something that Steve Irwin would be very saddened to know.

[GoinCruisin]

I would do it again. We just went in August. Like others have said, it was a freak accident.

 

It is a true shame about Steve Irwin but it's also sad that now the stingrays are being shown in such a negative light.. now people will fear these beautiful creatures and possibly hunt and kill them. Something that Steve Irwin would be very saddened to know.

 

I agree, and that is one thing that his foundation is trying to stress... that these animals are great animals and this was a freak accident. I truly hope that people will use their heads and not start cancelling a very great excursion!!

[hstrybuf]

We're booked to swim with the stingrays on our next cruise and I'm looking forward to it. Sad about Steve Irwin, but again, it was a rare occurence, an accident. Now someone correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't these stingrays a different type of stingray besides being much less used to humans?

[klfrodo]

After hearing about Steve Erwin loosing his life to a stingrays barb in the chest, i am having second thoughts about going to stingray city in Grand Cayman.Is any one else having secound thoughts???I will have my 9 year old with me and my wife,''my 9 year old has allready said she might stay on the boat.I think we will still go,just need to hear some input from some people to make it a sure thing.......We live on Panama City Beach, and see them all the time and i have cought them while fishing,but never have been stung,but know people that have.(all lived & said it hurts like----)Anyway please let me know ---and we will miss you Steve Erwin.....

 

Here are my thoughts.

 

Have you stopped riding in or driving a car?

Have you stopped flying in airplanes?

Have you stopped walking across the street?

[EngIceDave]

The barb of a stingray can be trimmed like you would trim nails on your hand or foot.

This is what is done with domesticated and publicly handled stingrays.

 

They don't even have a barb anymore

[Wennfred]

The barb of a stingray can be trimmed like you would trim nails on your hand or foot.

This is what is done with domesticated and publicly handled stingrays.

 

They don't even have a barb anymore

 

The Sting Rays at Sting Ray city in the Caymans have barbs because the dude pulled up the tail and showed us what they look like.

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

Found the Picture, give me a few minutes to scan and post it.

 

Fred

[back2tampa]

Thanks to all that replyed to this thread.We are not going to miss the stingray city in Grand Cayman.I really enjoyed the picture.I will be their Nov.21-06--I cant wait.Can anyone recommend a good tour to go on besides carnival??thanks again to all!!

[back2tampa]

Thanks to all that replyed to this thread.We are not going to miss the stingray city in Grand Cayman.I really enjoyed the picture.I will be their Nov.21-06--I cant wait.Can anyone recommend a good tour to go on besides carnival??thanks again to all!!

[back2tampa]

I cant wait to see that picture...thanks

[Wennfred]

First pic:

[Wennfred]

2nd Pic;

[Wennfred]

Picture of Wendy holding one on her chest:

[back2tampa]

Very cool !!!!!I am still going..Thanks for the pictures,my wife works night shift but i will be sure to show her.thanks again for all the hard work to let me see the barbs..Enjoy your up coming cruise